Change Requests

A change request is a formal proposal to modify any document, deliverable, or baseline. An approved change request will replace the associated document, deliverable, or baseline and may result in an update to other parts of the project management plan. When issues are found while project work is being performed, change requests are submitted, which may modify project policies or procedures, project scope, project cost or budget, project schedule, or project quality. Other change requests cover the needed preventive or corrective actions to forestall negative impact later in the project. Requests for a change can be direct or indirect, externally or internally initiated, and can be optional or legally/contractually mandated, and may include:

• Updates — Changes to formally controlled project documents, plans, etc., to reflect modified or additional ideas or content;
• Preventive action — An intentional activity that ensures the future performance of the project work is aligned with the project management plan;
• Corrective action — An intentional activity that realigns the performance of the project work with the project management plan;
• Defect repair — An intentional activity to modify a nonconforming product or product component.